The Spotty Dog Shop

Yes I know I’ve already discussed the holiday season but yet again, the countdown continues.  As the nights draw in and the wind chill picks up, our minds are turning to gift ideas.  However, not only does the festive season inspire the gift giver in us, it can also ignite our romantic sides.  It takes as little as watching the classic Miracle on 34^th Street re-run to inspire us to go out there and show our loved ones how much they mean to us via jewellery.

So why not embrace the romantic in you this winter as the season in its own right is enough to warm the hearts of most and jewellery is a great way to show your partner how much they mean.  Companies such as Love2Have offer jewellery for both men and women at reasonable prices meaning you can show your feelings without having to extend the ever increasing Christmas budget!   Too much can be made of how much we are supposed to spend at Christmas however because there is such a vast array of jewellery available at all manner of prices you can still show you care and not have to remortgage the house to do so.

So, the chestnuts are roasting, the logs are burning and the carol singers are singing, all that’s left is to get the presents wrapped and under the tree!  Make jewellery a part of your under-the-tree treat this year and let that inner romantic break free!

Retro is back with vengeance!  Celebs everywhere are taking inspiration from their starlet predecessors and donning the fashions made famous in decades gone.   Alexa Chung and Mischa Barton are just a couple of our modern day a-listers who have embraced the retro vibe and not only with their clothes.  Retro jewellery has made a quirky comeback with makes such as Azuni jewellery designers creating specific retro ranges.

Jewellery can make or break an outfit – fact – and retro jewellery is no exception!  We can see just from looking around us that jewellery designers have gone to town with bold, colourful pieces that can make the plainest of outfits into a red carpet affair.

Why not try and make your own?  Have a flick through old magazines or record covers of your favourite bands and singers from days gone by to get inspiration and who knows, before you have it, you could your very own piece of retro that would make you the envy of any a-lister.

“Old skool” is the “new skool” so why not embrace your inner rocker and get on the retro bandwagon.  Go on – I dare you!

Well, Christmas has crept up seriously quickly…fifty six days to go (not that we’re all counting!!)  Before we know it we’ll be fighting off fellow Christmas shoppers for that perfect, must-have gift whilst trying not to completely loose our minds over the hustle and bustle of the craziness of December time shopping. 

Jewellery, I find is a fail safe for Christmas time!  It can take away the pain of what can be a terrifying Christmas shopping experience.  It’s perfect.  You don’t have to try it on, there’s plenty of choice for guys and girls and best of all, you can get so much of it online! 

Companies such as Me Me Me Accessories offer beautiful complete Pandora bracelets which could be the answer to your Christmas shopping nightmare.  What’s great about the Pandora bracelets is that they can be designed from scratch so you can make the perfect present to match even the most awkward of relatives!

Certain jewellery companies even add specific Christmas designs to their ranges which again, helps even the most bedraggled of us Christmas shoppers make the right gift choice. 

So, final thoughts…we’ve established that jewellery can help us in our time of shopping needs so,  all you have to do is go out there and find it.  Keep a cool head and stay ahead of the competition and most importantly, good luck Christmas shoppers, don’t let the craziness of Christmas affect your gift buying judgement!

New Items

Well only three weeks to my next craft fair and I still have loads of things to make as I do not want my table to look empty.   Included in some of the new items I have managed to make is the keyring pictured above.   I had been wanting some handmade felt for ages and saw some lovely red and purple pieces at the Pins and Needles Fair at the Metro Arena at the start of the month – yes I would love to be able to make my own felt but when would I have the time?  I have managed to make a few brooches, hairclips and keyrings up to now which will be loaded onto my website within the next couple of days.  

So if you are looking for something to do on Saturday 23rd May ( Bank Holiday weekend), I will be at Stanhope Dales Centre for the Bank Holiday Craft Fair between 9:30am  and 3:30pm.  I have been told that there is also a farmers market taking place in Stanhope on the same day so I am sure it would be a nice day out.  Fingers crossed for some nice weather and hope to see you there.

4th April 2009

This was my first public appearance.  It was a local Easter Fair and I wanted to ease myself in gently.  Was I nervous – no just a bit apprehensive.   How would it go? Would I sell anything?  Did I have enough stock?  Would I get bored?   Well I loved it!

Arrived early to set up my stall and I was ready in plenty of time.   I thought my table looked cluttered as I piled all my stuff onto it, but looking back at the photo, there was not enough.   Everyone was really friendly and a few friends and family turned up for moral support.  I had such a good afternoon, I booked my next fair before I left.   Now all I have to do is non stop jewellery making for the next 6 weeks to get enough stock!

29th March 2009

Well did I go mad or what!   I arrived with good intentions of looking around all the stalls and finding out who was where so I could plan what i wanted to buy.   First stall I could get to – Glass Tales – handmade lampwork beads by Joanne Rohrer – picked out what I wanted, had to put some back as I only had limited cash on me.  Left her stall with no cash in purse and some gorgeous lampwork beads.  Next stall – Beadbuyer – I had bought from this stall last year so I knew that they accepted credit cards.  Aquamarine, Garnet, Hemimorphite, Apatite, Ruby Zoisite, Cuprite and my special buy of the day, Ametrine - spent so much I got discount!  But I was not finished – I wanted some Tourmaline and Citrine, so next stall was Buffy’s Beads.  I found the Tourmaline and Citrine, but also some Rock Crystal pendants, Smokey Quartz, Facetted Hematite and Blue Fluorite.  After this last splurge I did not dare look at any other stalls and fled before I could spend any more.  I have never spent so much money in so little time – less than 1 hour!

Well this Sunday I am off to Harrogate Beadwork Fair. I am sure I will spend a small fortune but what the hell, I’ve earnt it and it is one of life’s little pleasures spending it!  I am hoping to buy some more gemstones, sterling silver findings and something that little bit different.

I am also doing my first craft fair on Saturday April 4th at Hunwick in County Durham. Quite excited about it but it’s a little daunting as I don’t know what to expect. I can remember doing a car boot sale and hating every minute of it as people were just everywhere even before I had unpacked the goods, but I am sure this will be a bit more civilised.

I am so excited. I had my first taste of silversmithing last night. My friend’s partner has his own business and has kindly said that he would show me how to make some jewellery. So last night was my first night there and I actually came home with a lovely bangle. It is just a plain bangle at the minute but I soldered it myself and helped with the filing, cleaning and polishing of it! I have come home with all sorts of things I would like to try and make but I am not going to run before I can walk and will probably just start making my own findings at first until I can build up my tools and materials. I am just so exicted about it that I had to tell you all!

Gorgeous New Beads

Well, what do you think of my latest buys?

I could not resist these lovelies and could have bought more but I have restrained myself as I am off to The Beadwork Fair at Harrogate in a fortnight, so I am trying not to spend my money until then. I missed out on the October Beadwork Fair last year, as work was going through a sticky patch and we were only working four days a week, so I did not dare spend any money! But I am back to full time working which is bad on the jewelley making side but good for the cashflow.  Anyway, keep an eye out for new jewellery items featuring these beads – hopefully coming soon.

At last! After quite a few weeks of hard work and lots of design changes we finaly have the new site live!

I am looking forward to receiving your comments on the new look site (good or bad!).

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Alison x